1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of weapons. More specifically, the invention comprises a duplex weapon system having the ability to initially fire a non-lethal projectile and then a lethal projectile.
2. Description of the Related Art
Small arms such as pistols, rifles, and shotguns have been used by law enforcement and military personnel for well over a century. These traditional weapons inflict potentially life threatening injuries when they are used. While they are highly effective, they present the law enforcement officer with an “all or nothing” decision. If the officer uses a sidearm, for example, serious injury or death will likely result. In many circumstances the officer is facing a belligerent suspect that needs to be subdued. However, the suspect may not present an immediate threat to the safety of the officer or others. In this situation, a less forceful approach is desirable.
Many “non-lethal” alternatives have been developed in recent years. One example is the use of conventional centerfire small arms cartridges employing rubber bullets. These projectiles cause a painful impact that will often deter a subject, but they are unlikely to kill the subject.
Shotgun-fired “bean bags” are another non-lethal option. These projectiles contain a relatively high mass in a soft container. They are generally incapable of penetration, and instead deliver a sharp impulse to a suspect's body. The idea is to take the suspect off his feet.
The latest widespread non-lethal alternative is the TASER eletroshock weapon marketed by TASER International, Inc. of Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.A. The TASER weapon fires a pair of darts that penetrate a suspect's skin. Each dart is connected back to the handheld firing unit by a trailing wire. The firing unit sends pulses of high-voltage electricity through the two wires. An electrical current is then forced to flow through the suspect's body, thereby causing temporary incapacitation.
The TASER is quite effective in its intended role. However, it also includes a significant drawback: The TASER is strictly non-lethal. If a subject is hit by the TASER and then continues an assault on the officer, the officer must abandon the TASER and quickly switch to a conventional sidearm. And, because the TASER firing unit physically resembles a conventional sidearm, confusion can occur.
Police officers are trained in the handling of sidearms and TASERs, and this training is intended in part to ensure that the officer draws the correct weapon. For a right-handed officer, the sidearm is conventionally carried on the right hip. The TASER is then carried in a supplemental holster on the left hip. The officer undergoes repeated firing training so that he or she instinctively grabs the correct device. However, even with such training, errors have occurred. Under the adrenaline rush of actual combat, officers have pulled the sidearm and fired in the mistaken belief that they were deploying the TASER.
It would therefore be preferable to provide a single weapon that can deliver non-lethal and lethal projectiles. It would also be desirable to provide a single weapon that transitions from the non-lethal projectiles. It would also be desirable to provide a single weapon that transitions from the non-lethal to the lethal mode automatically. The present invention provides such a weapon.